modern day adepti @xiao

"sweet dreams." five

"sweet dreams."
chapter five

...

In the endless darkness of the night, of what seemed to be the calming, silence of the universe came a light. A light seemingly beckoning for call, and for Xiao. In which, his footsteps echoed through the endless corridor, with the light only getting closer and closer the more his body drew closer. The bright blue sky decorated with fluffy, faded white clouds slowly began to come into view, with the sight of the lush green grass swaying in the gentle breeze he seemed to pick up.

The bright light consumed his being, but only for a second. His weary eyes slowly opened, with the sound of himself groaning because of how bright the sun was. The grass against his skin, the weight of his karmic debt beginning to weight heavily on his chest again. However.. there was something different.

The smell of familiarity, the feel of nostalgia, the happiness that rose from his chest upon setting his eyes on a view so familiar. The world he would've never knew he'd miss oh so dearly, the place where his happiest memories were spent. The calming sight of the lakes and faraway forestry of trees dancing after his corrupted glowing mask disappeared from his stoic face. The voices of people he once knew and met up with; Rex Lapis, Ganyu, the Traveller, and somehow even that little fairy who travelled alongside them.

When the flute from such a familiar bard played, erasing his karmic debts for just a moment, cleansing his body from any impurities, clearing his mind of negativity. And that one song he always whispered so delicately against his lips, the melodic sound of his hums blending in with everything so perfectly and smoothly. The night sky filled with stars from beyond...

It was Teyvat. The world and land full of mysteries and horrors, but with beautiful scenery that one would even sacrifice their own life just to witness such beauty before their demise.

The view of Wangshu Inn slowly came into view, along with the pulsing sun beaming into his gentle amber eyes. Wangshu Inn.. the place where he lived. Where he met the first person who he loved before disappearing.. the hotel for lover's moonlit rendezvous. Where lovers would meet, where they would share their love to each other unconditionally.

The familiar building caused a smile on his face. A smile so pure and so gentle that would've baffled anybody who would've witnessed it happening. Xiao was just so.. happy to finally be back. Or, if it was just a dream.. he would've atleast treasured this last memory of Teyvat before returning to the modern world.

"... Xiao?" A voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts, causing a small frown to form on his thin lips. The voice sounded comforting, low, and attractive. It seemingly belonged to a man with high praise and value, who went through much more than even Xiao himself.. it seemed to be the man that Xiao respected greatly. Morax, or now called by Zhongli, slowly approached him.

As he sat up and looked up to view him in full, he noticed his dark brown hair, and amber eyes similar to Xiao himself. A man who he missed greatly shortly after originally being released from the chambers of that crystal growing all over his body.

"Erm.. Rex Lapis?" Xiao's rough voice replied, quickly standing up as he wanted to at least make himself presentable in front of Zhongli. That of which only stifled a chuckle out of the tall gentleman. His diamond shaped pupils turned to look at Xiao with a smile filled with confidence and comfort.

"You seem quite tense.. is something the matter? From what I recall, I don't remember you acting like this the last time we have met.." Zhongli pondered to himself, yet it seemed even he already figured out why Xiao was acting so weirdly and jumpy.